Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has expressed concern over the non-payment of Rs146 billion to Punjab by the federal government, accusing it of blocking legal and constitutional dues of the province.
Presiding over a meeting, the chief minister disclosed that the federal government had not shared anything with Punjab from the aid given for the flood-affected people.
The federal government has not released the share of funds for the construction of houses for the flood victims, he added and pointed out that the rehabilitation activities could be hampered.
Similarly, he noted that different projects could be compromised because of the lack of release of the Rs146 billion.
Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi stressed that the Punjab government was striving hard to provide free medicines and other facilities to the patients but the completion of work on the hospitals could also be affected because of hurdles created by the federal government by stopping the payment of the share of Punjab.
He said thousands of kilometres long dilapidated roads in Punjab needed immediate repair and rehabilitation but the funds meant for the province had been intentionally stopped. He alleged that the move was aimed at ruining the province by stopping development work.
“In fact, the stoppage of funds for an important federating unit like Punjab is a negation of the concept of national unity and cohesion,” the CM said.
The meeting was attended by Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, chief secretary, communications and works secretary, and other officials.
Meanwhile, the chief minister announced during a meeting with a delegation of Supreme Court lawyers that lawyers’ colonies would be established in every tehsil of the province.
He said adding the lawyers and their families would also be provided free medical facilities equal to gazetted officers.
The delegation was led by Senator Barrister Ali Zafar, Abid Zubairi and Imtiaz Rashid Siddiqui.
The chief minister also announced the restoration of the public defender service act without any delay and said around 1,500 lawyers would be accommodated through the law.
The CM announced a plan for the construction of a parking plaza near the Shah Chirag building and a service structure for the public prosecution department. He said the Punjab Bar Council and hostel buildings would be repaired.
Assuring the Supreme Court lawyers of addressing their problems, he said practical work in this regard would be visible in the next few days.
Amir Saeed Raan mentioned that the design of the parking plaza was approved in 2017-18.
In a statement issued on the World Tourism Day, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said Punjab had attractive tourist spots and the tourism sector not only promoted local culture but also strengthened the national economy while creating job opportunities. He said the purpose of celebrating the day was to promote the culture of tourism in the province with the year’s motto of ‘Rethinking tourism’.
New tourist spots were being introduced along with the provision of facilities as the tourism sector is an important source to earn foreign exchange, he announced. “We should also commit that the rewards of economic development would be devolved to the impecunious strata at the grassroots by promoting tourism in the country,” he concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2022.
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